Apparatus for delivering multifilament strands



Aug. 9, 1966 e. E. sMocK ETAL APPARATUS FOR DELIVERING MULTI-FILAMENT smmns Filed Oct. 18, 1962 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 OPEkAroRs H001? [Ullig FREE INVENTGRS GEORGE E. SMOCK,

WALTER F. FULK, y RALPH M STREAM &

H/I/POL 0 LEAMAN W; dumdk Ar TO/PA/EYS Aug. 9, 1966 G. E. SMOCK ETAL APPARATUS FOR nmuvsnme MULTL-FILAMENT STRANDS Filed Oct. 18, 1962 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 BY RALPH M. STREBIM & HAROLD E.

INVENTORS G0R6 E. $M0cK, WALTER E FULK Lima/v A. A TTORA/EYS Aug. 1966 e. E. SMOCK ETAL 3,265,481

APPARATUS FOR DELIVERING MULTI-FILAMENT STRANDS Filed f. 18, 1962 A I I HAROLDE. E'AMA/V fig-Ji I M Arrow/[vs Aug. 9, 1966 APPARATUS Filed Oct. 18, 1962 e. E. sMocK ETAL 3,265,481

FOR DELIVERING MULTI-FILAM N TRANDS 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 IN VEN TORS GEO/76E f. SMOC/fi WALTER E FULK. BY RALPH A4. STREAM &

0 LEAMA/V ,ArmRA/Evs Aug. 9, 1966 G. E. SMOCK ETAL 3,265,481

APPARATUS FOR DELIVERING MULTI-FILAMENT STRANDS Filed Oct. 18, 1962 r s Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTORS GEORGE E. SMOC WALTER F. FuLK, Y/PALPH M. STREAM &

HAROLD E. AMA fill. M

ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,265,481 APPARATUS FOR DELIVERING MULTI- FILAMENT STRANDS George E. Smock, Walter F. Fulk, Ralph M. Stream, and

Harold E. Leaman, Newark, Ohio, assignors to Owens- Corning Fiberglas Corporation, a corporation of Delaware Filed Oct. 18, 1962, Ser. No. 231,363 9 Claims. (Cl. 65-9) This invention relates to apparatus for forming a continuous fibrous mat with multi-filament strands, and more specifically to apparatus for drawing glass filaments, gathering the glass filaments into strands and accumulating the strands upon a receiving surface.

Mats of fibrous glass, because of their inherent properties, especially those of strength and inertness, have many uses. 'Iihey have been employed as filtering, acoustical and thermal insulating media. They also serve effectively for roofing sheets, non-woven fabrics, and for reinforcing plastic products. I

I In some instances the mats are composed of short fibers held together by a binder. In others the mats are bonded webs of chopped fibrous glass strands. Bundles o'r strands of continuous glass filaments have also been disposed in mat form. Strands of filaments have superior strength because of the continuous nature of the filaments and their concentrated linear association in strand form. Accordingly, fibrous glass strands are a most desirable mat constituent where strength is a prime consideration.

However, there have been difficulties involved in the fabrication of strand mats as well as deficiencies in such mat products. Because of the comparative greater bulk of the standard fibrous glass strands, they are not inclined to become easily entangled to form an integrated rnass. They also are not disposed to lie in a flat formation. A further objection has been that the production of such mats has been costly due to requirements of special equipment and slow and involved processing.

Also, in mats of conventional strands there is a lack of integrity, insufiicient porosity, and a coarse appearance.

Some of these deficiencies have been overcome by partial filamentizing of the strands by impinging them against a deflecting surf-ace before the strands are massed in mat form. The resulting fuzziness promotes interengagement of the strands or semi-felting action which tends to integrate the mat product. However, there is an attendent bulkiness and loss of strength which are undesirable for many end uses of the mat. In addition, areas where there is a concentration of dispersed or fuzzed strands resist desired penetration by a resin to be reenforced.

In view of the above, it is an object of this invention to provide apparatus for more expeditiously and economically producing mats of fibrous glass strands.

A further object is to provide apparatus for creating such mats with greatly improved characteristics.

More specifically, an object of this invention is to provide apparatus for drawing continuous filaments of glass, gathering the filaments into a plurality of strands, and projecting the plurality of strands in parallel and planer formation back and forth across a conveyor to form a mat of strands thereon.

These and other objects and advantages are secured through the novel apparatus disclosed herein incorporat ing a novel pull wheel for drawing glass filaments and grooved guide shoes for gathering them into a plurality of strands of a size below that of conventional strands, the strands being directed in closely aligned, parallel formation back and forth across a traveling conveyor, and collected as an integrated mat uponthe conveyor.

The objects of the invention are further promoted and 3,255,431 Patented August 9, 1966 attained through the particular design of the releasing means associated with the wheel, a tension equalizing idler wheel and other components of the subject apparatus.

In the drawings, FIGURE 1 is a front elevation of apparatus embodying the invention;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged plan view of the apparatus of FIGURE 1, with an additional pair of pull wheels and associated equipment;

FIGURE 3 is a side elevational with portions in section of one of the pull wheels and the motor drive therefor incorporated in the apparatus of FIGURES 1 and 2;

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary front view with pants "broken away of the pull wheel and motor drive of FIG- URE 3 with the assembly turned ninety degrees counterclockwise from the position of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary showing, mostly in vertical section, of a modified form of pull wheel;

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary front elevation, largely in section, of the pull wheel of FIGURE 5 as viewed from the line 6-6 thereof;

FIGURE 7 shows a portion of still another form of pull wheel;

FIGURE 8 presents a vertical section of the portion of a pull wheel illustrated in FIGURE 7;

FIGURE 9 is a front view with a section broken away of an idler wheel comprising a feature of the apparatus of this invention;

FIGURE 10 is a partial vertical section and a partial side elevational view of the idler wheel of FIGURE 9; and

FIGURE 11 depicts a typical pattern which a strand may follow when deposited by the apparatus of this invention.

Referring to the drawings in more detail the apparatus of FIGURES 1 and 2 includes molten glass feeding bushings 21 and 22. depending from conventional glass melting tanks which are not illustrated. A second paired set of bushings 21a and 22a is depicted in FIGURE 2. The additional equipment of FIGURE 2 duplicates that of FIGURE 1 and will not be described separately. The main components carry the same identifying numbers as the like parts of the apparatus of FIGURE 1 but with the the traveling belts or aprons of the conventional size.

applicators 25. The size may merely be water to reduce fricton between filaments as they are subsequently joined together in strand form. A more complex size or binder is however desired to promote coherence of the filaments when combined as strands, and adherence of the strands of filaments to the surfaces of the pulling wheels. Where the mat produced is to be ultimately combined with a plastic resin, it is also desirable to include a coupling agent in the size which facilitates wetting of the mat by the resin.

A preferred form of binder is one retaining sufiicient cohesive properties when cured to contribute to the bonding of the strands in the mat or other form in which they are collected on the conveyor or the receiving surface. Such a binder has the dual purpose of holding the fila- =ments together as strands, and bonding the strands into an integrated body.

As the mats are produced immediately below the glass filament forming stations, a commonly used lubricant component of the size may be omitted. The inclusion of such a lubricaing material has been found necessary for improving the handleability of the strands Where the strands go through subsequent operations such as plying and twisting, but it is not otherwise necessary and in fact interferes with effective Wetting of the strands by a plastic resin.

The filaments from each bushing, after sizing, are grouped together to form a set of six strands individually segregated as they travel within six grooves over the respective gathering shoe 27. Each strand contains about sixty filaments. The division of the filaments into strands is here accomplished manually at the start of operations.

The sets of strands 29 and 36 pass under the aligning shoes 31 which are grooved in the same manner as the gathering shoe 27.

To help keep the pull wheels clean of size and to distribute the wearing action of the strands on the pull wheel the aligning shoes may be given a slight traversing action. This slowly shifts the strand position on the pulling wheel, moving back and forth about once in three minutes.

From shoes 31 the two sets of spaced strands 29 and 30 are led around the two idler wheels 33 and respectively travel around the pull wheels 35 and 36. These wheels are similarly constructed but are relatively reversed in position and are on opposite sides of the center line of the receiving conveyor 61.

Motors 37 and 38 respectively drive pull wheels 35 and 36. The strands carried by pull wheel 35 are released therefrom by the successive projection of fingers of oscillating spoke wheel 39 through slots in the peripheral surface of the pull wheel 35, while the fingers of spoke wheel 40 serve this purpose in connection with pull wheel 36. The strands are kinetically projected in tangential paths from the pull wheels.

The rear side of each pull wheel is covered by an independently mounted, oscillatable back plate on which the associated spoke wheel is carried. Back plate 42 of the assembly including pull wheel 36 is arcuately oscillated through arm 43. The latter is driven by functioning of the fluid cylinder 52 which sets through the triangular link 45, which pivots upon bar 47 on the base 49. The piston rod 53 extending from the cylinder is joined to the triangular link 45 by linking rod 54. The base 49 is positioned on the platform 50 which also supports the pull wheels 35 and 36 and the equipment associated therelvith. Platform 50 is suspended by angle iron hangers Through the connecting assembly 55, including the turnbuckle 56, the transverse movement of the triangular link 45 is transmitted to arm 57 to arcuately oscillate the spoke wheel 39 within the pull wheel 35. This oscillation is preferably in an arc of approximately fifty-seven degrees. With the single means effecting the oscillation of both spoke wheels their action may be closely synchronized.

' The group of strands 58 thrown down by the pull wheel 35 and the group of strands 59 thrown down by the pull wheel 36, and the strands from any other pull wheels preceding this pair are accumulated in mat form 60 upon traveling conveyor 61, which is preferably of carbon steel chain construction. Side shields 62 and 63 define the edges of the mat 60 and prevent undesirable lateral overreaching of the strands. A two-foot height for these shields is generally sufficient.

To prevent adherence of the strands to the side shields 62 and 63, strips 61s and 63s of open-cell foam or of other porous material, about one half inch thick are attached along the shields near the top edges thereof. Plain cotton rag material has been found to be satisfactory. Water nozzles 6211 and 6311 are arranged to feed water to the upper surface of the foam strips. The water seeps through the strips and is distributed uniformly to form a water film flowing down the surfaces of the shields. Tub ing with a series of holes may be used instead of the nozzles 62n and 63m to deliver the water and may be employed for directly forming the Water films.

The width of the conveyor covered by the mat in this case is four and one half feet, but this may be varied through a Wide range by changing the oscillating arc length of the spoke wheels and the distance of the pull wheels above the conveyor. The side shields 62 and 63 are mounted to adjust their spacing to match the width of the deposited material. Ordinarily the width utilized would be between extreme limits of two and nine feet.

The pull wheel 35 and the drive therefor are shown in more detail in FIGURES 3 and 4. On the shaft of motor 37 is a toothed pulley 64 which has driving connection through the segmented timing belt 65 with toothed pulley 66. The latter is mounted on the outer end of shaft 67, on the other end of which is carried the pull wheel 35.

The shaft 67 is journaled in the stationary casing 69 upon which the motor 37 is supported. The pull wheel is held upon the threaded stud 71 of the shaft 67 by the barrel nut 72. The hub 73 of the pull wheel has a bored section fitting over the smooth portion of the stud 71 and held against a shoulder terminating the smooth portion by the barrel nut 72. The main body of the pull wheel is fastened to the hub 73 by machine screws 75 and 76. A cap 78 covers the outer end of the bore through the hub.

In a preferred embodiment the pull wheel 35 is twelve inches in diameter and has a series of peripheral cross slots 81, approximately one and one-eighth inches long, three-sixteenths of an inch wide and spaced five-sixteenths of an inch apart. To reduce the wear, the strand receiving surface of the pull wheel is given a hard surface such as an electrolytic deposit of aluminum oxide or a coating of nickel phosphate.

The fingers 83 of the spoke wheel 39 within the pull wheel 35 are dimensioned and motivated to successively project through the slots 81. The spoke wheel is mounted on shaft 87 projecting from the \back plate 41 and carries the toothed pulley 89 on a rearward extension of the wheel hub 73.

The main body of the spoke wheel 39 is in this instance about three and three-quarter inches in diameter with the fingers 83, twenty-seven in number, radially extending slightly more than thirteen-sixteenths of an inch from the periphery of the main body. The exterior portions of the fingers are generally of rectangular blade form one inch wide with a thickness of .024 of an inch. About one-eighth of an inch of the outer end of the fingers extend out of the pull wheel slots at the point of their greatest projection.

The movement of the fingers 83 into the slots 81 and their momentary projection through the slots to release the strands is synchronized through the timing drive between the pull wheel and the spoke wheel. This includes the toothed pulley 91 fixed upon the hub 73 of the pull wheel, the cog timing belt 93 running over pulley 91, and the pulley 89 on the shaft 87 upon which the spoke wheel is journaled.

The back plate 41, oscillatable through yoke 57 to which it is attached, is mounted through hearings on the stationary casing 69. Yoke 57 and therethrough back plate 41 and the spoke Wheel 39 are oscillated in an arc of approximately 57 by functioning of fluid cylinder 51.

Air movement into the interior of the pull wheel 35 is curtailed by the shroud ring held to the inner edge of the wheel periphery by a series of machine screws. A bafiie 95 interruptedly cylindrical in form, is carried by the oscillating back plate 41 and lies under the slots 81 except for an open section of the baffle in the region of the spoke wheel. This prevents air movement outwardly through the slots which is apt to irregularly release strands from the pull wheel. As the battle oscillates with the spoke wheel, the open portion of the baflie is always in the area where the fingers 83 enter the slots 81 of the pull wheel.

With the high peripheral speed of the pull wheel, the strands are forcefully projected in straight tangential lines from the oscillating point of disengagement eifected by the fingers of the spoke wheel. The kinetic energy the strands thus acquire carries them in straight courses to the region of the conveyor surface. Here they are selfpositioning in lazy whirl formation with each strand assuming an individualistic pattern but disposed in interengaging and interleaving relation with the other five strands of the set.

The distance of the pull wheels above the conveyor, and the rotational speed of the wheelsare so selected, in relation to the specifications of the plurality of strands being deposited, that the strands are projected with sufficient kinetic energy to carry them as a band of generally constant form and in substantially regular paths to the surface of the conveyor or other collection surface.

The group of strands is thus deposited in a reciprocating strip disposed in a constant repeating pattern and with substantially stable dimensions.

Consequently, full control may be exercised to obtain a desired relationship between adjacent courses of the strip deposited from a single wheel and to complement or match the resulting pattern with that developed by the deposit of strips from associated pull wheels. The mat produced may thus be assured of having a thickness with a high degree of uniformity, or a definite repeated pattern of varying thicknesses, if such is required.

I Variations in patterns can be imparted to the product by oscillating adjacent wheels in the system at different rates, or at different angles with respect to the line of travel of the conveyor. Also, the speed of the conveyor may be varied to alter the degree of pitch of the zig-zag strips being deposited.

' Strands of filamentized strands as well as .the generally preferred integrated strands can be included in the product by having one or more of the wheels provided with a deflecting surface in the path of the projected strands. The strands thus filamentized may be incorporated across the center portion of the mat or be positioned on the surfaces to provide a more finished appearance. A large range of relationships can be established between the strips laid by various pull wheels in the system, but any one product may be reproduced uniformly by locking the system into the dynamic relationship which has been found to produce the particular mat structure desired.

While a balance of the various factors involved is required to establish the proper kinetic energy for carrying the strands in a dependable, regular fashion to the conveyor surface, the projection of the strands in close array helps prolong the integrity of the band formation. Evidently each strand aspirates air during its high speed descent and this tends to pull or hold adjacent strands together. The group of strands will travel further than a single strand before losing momentum and directional regularity because the retarding effect of the thin wall of air separating strands is reduced by the joint pull of such strands upon the air.

The total resistance opposing the group is thus materially less than the total resistance that would be encountered by the same number of strands projected individually.

When the strands reach the proximity of the conveyor surface, their kinetic energy has been quite completely dissipated through air drag and possibly by a braking effect transmitted upwardly by the immediately preceding deposited strand portions. As linearly the strands greatly exceed the length of the course upon which they are laid, the strands must assume a looping formation. This irregular coiling is initiated above the surface of the conveyor and is characterized by irregularly shaped, figure eights with loops extending laterally as much as an inch I01 mone from the preceding, comparatively straight path of each strand. The loops of adjacent strands and possibly of all the threads of a strip are variously interleaved to integrate the deposited strip.

A typical pattern of a single deposited strand 60a is depicted in FIGURE 11. The smooth easy curve 60b appears repeatedly in overlying loops and coils.

Under a stroboscope it has been observed that the strands leaving the pull wheel vibrate or pulsate at a uniform high frequency. This is believed a factor in the natural, smooth character of the looping deposit of the strands on the conveyor.

The binder applied to the individual filaments prior to their being gathered into strands may be of a composition retaining its adhesive nature until the strands are deposited upon the conveyor. On subsequent curing the binder then not only acts to hold the strands in integrated form but also bonds adjacent loops of the strands together in the mat structure.

The profile of the strip of looped strands is fiat at the bottom and symmetrically curved across the top; the greatest elevation being at the center of the strip with a gradual diminution of the elevational dimension toward the edges of the strip. Thus, when such strips are overlapped by an amount generally in the order of one-half the width of the strips, the thickness dimension of the mat thus formed is substantially uniform for the full length of the mat. If the zigzag sweep of the bands across the Width of the collection zone is so arranged that the pitch or distance between deposited strips is greater than one-half the width of the strip, overlying layers must be supplied to fill in this gap and the overlap between different strips can be set to provide the desired uniformity in thickness of the mat. In this regard, the strips are overlapped in definite patterned relation to obtain the fiat mat of uniform thickness or weight.

When adjusting reciprocation and conveyor speeds to establish less overlapping or greater spacing between successive strips or passes of a band, it is recommended that one half the width of the strip and an integer be taken as factors in determining the new strip advancing measurement.

Liquid binder is preferably first applied to the strands prior to projection by the pull Wheels by the applicators 25. Additional binder either in liquid or powdered form may be introduced to the accumulated mass of strands on the conveyor or to the strands While traveling from the Wheels to the conveyor. With liquid binder already on the filaments, the need for the additional liquid or powdered binder is limited. The powdered binder, however, is scattered at localized points and spot bonds cross-over contacts between the strands in the mat.

The binder picked up by the filaments should be sufficiently sticky to seize and hold the subsequently applied powdered binder. The powdered binder thus assists the original liquid binder in forming a higher strength product and reduces the quantity of liquid binder that need be applied to the filaments. Without the presence of either one of the binders, more of the other binder is, of course, required. Overall, the total amount of binder needed is reduced by utilizing the combination of the two binders.

An additional feature in utilizing the powdered binder is that less water (in the order of' twenty percent) is present in the mat thereby reducing the oven capacity needed to effect a cure of the binder. In contrast, in prior practice with both continuous strand mat and the chopped strand mat it has been necessary to utilize binders having a Water content of over fifty percent of the mat weight as the mat reaches the curing oven.

The six strands of each set led over a pulling wheel, as previously stated, are composed of an average of sixty filaments with each filament having a nominal diameter of fifty hundred-thousandths of an inch. The individual strands are roughly six-thousandths of an inch in diameter and are delivered to the surface of the pull wheel closely arrayed in parallel relation and in a planar band. The

7 strands may be uniformly spaced apart about one-eighth of an inch. A strip of the peripheral surface of the pulling wheel no more than one-half of an inch wide is then occupied by the set of six strands.

If a greater number of strands are included in a set drawn over the pull wheel they are positioned more closely together. While probably twelve strands is about the maximum practical number, as many as thirty may be thrown down from a single wheel of the particular embodiment herein described. These could be spaced only one thirtysecond of an inch apart. The number and spacing of the grooves on the stationary gathering shoes 27' and on the guiding shoes 31 are arranged to space and guide the particular number of strands utilized.

The traction between the strands and the surface of the pull wheel is ample to furnish the pulling force that attenuates the glass filaments formed from the minute molten glass streams issuing from the orifices of the furnace bushing. This adherence of the strands to the pull wheel is evidently due to the cohesive effect of the size carried by the strands and other not clearly understood air and surface forces of attraction.

The pull wheel is driven at a speed of about two thousand revolutions per minute to deliver the strands at a rate of six thousand feet per minute. This rate may feasibly range from two to twelve thousand feet per minute.

The fluid cylinder 51 is actuated sixty times a minute to cause the spoke wheels to oscillate at the same rate and to thus direct the strands released from the pull wheels back and fort-h across the conveyor sixty times per minute. Because of the high rate of deposit, even with sixty reciprocations of the strands across the conveyor per minute, ten inches of strand is delivered to the conveyor for every inch of the strand travel across the conveyor. This explains why the strand must repeatedly loop upon itself and upon the strands with which it is associated as it reaches the surface of the conveyor. High rates of reciprocation are feasible but, if raised substantially, should be coupled with higher feeding rates. Otherwise there is a decrease in the looping of the strands and less coherence of the deposited strips.

With a conveyor speed of seven feet per minute there will be one hundred and twenty overlapped cross strips of strand for every seven-foot length of the deposited mat, with an average overlap of about two-thirds of an inch between the composite strips laid down from each pull wheel. A succession of twelve pull wheels arranged in six pairs and handling strands assembled from filaments from twelve bushings is considered a desirable production system. This number is, of course, variable to meet any product-ion requirements that may arise, and for lighter mats all of the pull wheels need not be utilized.

In FIGURES and 6 is shown a pull wheel 100 and spoke wheel 101 with a modified form of driving means for the spoke wheel. In this arrangement a gear 103 is attached to the forward side of the spoke wheel. An intermediate gear 104 meshes with gear 103 and is driven by engagement with the gear portion 105 of the pull wheel hub. The spoke wheel 101 is carried by the back plate 106 as is also the intermediate gear 104. The shaft of gear .104 is journalled in the flat bar 99 which is joined at its ends to the back plate 106 by foot posts.

Another modified form of drive for the spoke wheel is illustrated in FIGURES 7 and 8. In this structure the pull wheel 7 drives the spoke wheel 109 through an internal gear ring 111 set within the pull wheel forward of the slots 110. Integrated with the spoke wheel 109 is a gear 1112 engaging in a planetary manner the internal ring gear 111. The spoke wheel is oscillated in an arc of fifty-seven degrees by its movement with the back plate 113 on which it is mounted.

In FIGURES 9 and 10 is shown the detailed construction of idler wheel 33. In the same manner as a size carrying strand adheres to the metal surface of the pull wheel 35 or 36, will such a strand attach itself to the metal surface of an idler wheel around which it may be led. Where a single strand is involved there is little objection to such adherence. However, when a plurality of strands pass around an idler wheel, the strand under the most tension grips the wheel firmly and controls its speedof rotation. At least some of the other strands then develop a slack or looseness that is amplified in time to a point where there occurs a misalignment or other sloppiness in the desired path traveledby these strands. An equalization is accordingly needed in the driving contact of the strands with the idler wheel.

To accomplish this purpose an idler pulley has been designed with cross contact lands spaced around the periphery of the wheel. If these lands are of sufficiently small area and spaced well apart the traction between the strand under the greatest tension and the wheel surface will be below that required to drive the wheel. Slippage between the strand and the wheel then develops to the slight degree that allows several of the other strands to adhere to the wheel so that they jointly drive the wheel." Such an idler wheel thus acts to equalize the tension of the strands and to deliver them in a uniform manner to the pull wheel.

As the strands adhere less readily to a graphite surface than to one of metal, the preferred form of idler There are transverse grooves 117 in the periphery of the body 114. These grooves terminate at one side in blind bores in one of the flanges and in open bores in the other of the flanges 115. Positioned in the grooves 117 and projecting into the end bores are cylindrical graphite inserts 118 about one-quarter of an inch in diameter. A preferred graphite composition includes twenty percent molybdenum. The inserts are locked in position by the retainer plate 119 fastened to the body by machine screws 120.

About one third of the circumferential area of the inserts is above the cylindrical surface of the main body. The strands driving the idler wheel accordingly have only point contact therewith as the strands span the spacings between the inserts and touch the inserts in a tangential manner.

Another less preferred form of wheel incorporating the basic idea is an all metal wheel having on its peripheral surface cross lands of rounded ridges one-sixteenth of an inch wide separated by grooves or depressed strips oneeighth of an inch across.

The gatheringand aligning shoes are preferably of wheel form, as illustrated, because this shape is easy to manufacture, provides excess groove area to present new unworn surfaces when required, and avoids sharp lead and departure edges. Many other structural shapes upon which curved grooves could be machined or molded would function quite satisfactorily.

It should be noted that with the apparatus-embodying this invention there is a smooth, regular movement of the filaments from the bushings, the gathering the filaments into strands, and the clean, unobstructed projection of the strands upon the conveyor. The integrity of the filaments and of the resulting strands is maintained throughout, and the strands arrive on the conveyor with out any fuzziness or other disruption. The resulting mat of comparatively fine, continuous strands has consistently superior uniformity, unexcelled strength properties, low bulkiness, good porosity and attractive appearance. This combination of properties permits the mat to serve most satisfactorily for practically all the purposes for, which such products may be employed.

The features of the invention which contribute to its success and effectiveness include the oscillating spoke the strands as they are directed back and forth across the conveyor; the grooved gathering shoe and similarly grooved aligning shoe which group and guide the strands wheel responsible for the quick and uniform release of in an aligned and uniform manner; the idler wheel with the carbon inserts which evens out the tension of the strands; the organization of the pull wheel and associated equipment in synchronized, cooperating pairs or sets; and the air baffle oscillating with the spoke wheel to curtail strand dislodging air movement.

All of these features have importance in the attainment of the objects of the invention.

Possible modifications and substitutions for elements of the apparatus of this invention will easily occur to those skilled in the art, and such obvious changes are considered within the spirit of the invention of the scope of the accompanying claims.

We claim:

1. Apparatus for delivering a multi-filament strand to a receiving surface comprising a rotated pull wheel, a cylindrical, peripheral surface on the pull wheel adapted to receive a strand thereon and to carry the strand in following adhereing relation, there being regularly spaced cross slots in theperipheral surface below a strand carried thereon, a rotary device, means positioning the rotary device eccentrically within the rotated pull wheel, means driving the rotary device at a peripheral speed matching that of the rotated pull wheel, radially extending fingers mounted on the rotary device and spaced to successively project outwardly through successive slots in the peripheral surface on the pull wheel, the successive projections of the fingers raising a strand carried by the peripheral surface, and releasing the strand from its following adhering relation with said surface, means rotating the pull Wheel at a speed to kinetically drive the strand in a tangential line therefrom toward a receiving surface, mounting means for the rotary device, said mounting means being oscillatable to move the rotary device back and forth along a linear path to effect a circumferential oscillation of the projection of the fingers through the slots in the peripheral surface of the pull wheel and a corresponding circumferential oscillation in the circumferential point of release of the strand, and means so oscillating the mounting means.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 in which the peripheral surface on the pull wheel is broad enough to receive a plurality of strands in spaced side-by-side relation, and there is a strand guiding shoe adjacent to and positioned radially from the pull wheel having a plurality of parallel grooves adapted for holding a plurality of passing strands in spaced, side-by-side relation for delivery to the peripheral surface on the pull wheel.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1 in which there is a second pull wheel positioned adjacent to said firstmentioned puill wheel, and there are mechanical means synchronizing the oscillations of the mounting means of the rotary devices of the first and second pull wheels.

4. Apparatus according to claim 1 in which the pull wheel is rotated on a horizontal axis and there are means guiding the strand so that it is received by the peripheral 4 surface of the pull wheel at a point angled about fortyfive degrees from a vertical, diametric line of the pull wheel, with the strand following said surface in adhering relation over the top of the pull wheel for a portion about one hundred and eighty degrees of the circular orbit of said surface, and the projection of the finger elements through the slots in said surface is oscillated through a section of sixty degrees of the orbit immediately following said strand adhering portion of one hundred and eighty degrees.

5. Apparatus according to claim 1 in which there is an air baffle generally cylindrical in form lying closely below the slots in the peripheral surface of the pull wheel, said air baflle having anlopen area through which the fingers of the spoke wheel extend, and said baflle being mounted to turn back and forth with the spoke wheel to maintain the open area of the bafile adjacent the spoke wheel and between the spoke wheel and the adjacent portion of the peripheral surface of the pull wheel.

6. Apparatus for drawing continuous filaments of fibrous glass, gathering the filaments into a plurality of strands and forming a mat therewith including orificed means delivering molten glass in minute streams, a pull wheel drawing the minute streams into continuous filaments, means collecting said filaments in a plurality of strands and delivering the strands to the peripheral surface of the pull wheel, mechanical means mounted within the pull wheel and arranged to directly contact and raise the strands from the peripheral surface of the pull wheel thereby releasing the strands from the pull wheel, means rotating the pull wheel at aspeed to tangentially project the strands when released by the mechanical means in closely arrayed formation, means reciprocating the mechanical means along a portion of the peripheral surface of the pull wheel, whereby the point of release of the strands is reciprocated and the direction of the projected strands is swung back and forth, and a conveyor adapted to receive and accumulate the strands in overlying formation.

7. Apparatus according to claim 6 in which the means gathering said filaments in a plurality of strands includes a gathering shoe having a plurality of parallel grooves, said shoe positioned in spaced relation above the pull wheel in the path of the filaments between the orificed means and the pull wheel.

8. Apparatus according to claim 7 in which there is a multiple grooved guiding shoe adjacent the pull wheel adapted to receive the strands from the gathering shoe, to maintain them in spaced relation in separate grooves and to lead them in such relation to the pull wheel.

9. Apparatus according to claim 7 in which there is an idler wheel adjacent the pull wheel, said idler wheel having narrow cross lands composed principally of graphite and depressed spaces of greater area between the cross lands, said idler wheel adapted to receive the spaced strands from the gathering shoe and to eqaulize the tension of the strands before the strands reach the pull wheel.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,447,131 8/ 1948 McDermott 226- X 2,581,866 1/ 1952 Kershaw 24247.09 X 2,868,358 1/1959 Russell 24247.07 2,972,439 2/ 1961 Cunningham et al. 226-190 3,014,629 12/1961 Cunningham et al. 229190 3,041,662 7/1962 Cochran 65-11 X 3,070,981 1/ 1963 Frickert -1 6511 3,071,301 1/1963 Benson et al.

DONALL H. SYLVESTER, Primary Examiner.

F. W. MIGA, Assistant Examiner. v 

1. APPARATUS FOR DELIVERING A MULTI-FILAMENT STRAND TO A RECEIVING SURFACE COMPRISING A ROTATED PULL WHEEL, A CYLINDRICAL, PERIPHERAL SURFACE ON THE PULL WHEEL ADAPTED TO RECEIVE A STRAND THEREON AND TO CARRY THE STRAND IN FOLLOWING ADHEREING RELATION, THERE BEING REGULARLY SPACED CROSS SLOTS IN THE PERIPHERAL SURFACE BELOW A STRAND CARRIED THEREON, A ROTARY DEVICE, MEANS POSITIONING THE ROTARY DEVICE ECCENTRICALLY WITHIN THE ROTATED PULL WHEEL, MEANS DRIVING THE ROTARY DEVICE AT A PERIPHERAL SPEED MATCHING THAT OF THE ROTATED PULL WHEEL RADICALLY EXTENDING FINGERS MOUNTED ON THE ROTARY DEVICE AND SPACED TO SUCCESSIVELY PROJECT OUTWARDLY THROUGH SUCCESSIVE SLOTS IN THE PERIPHERAL SURFACE ON THE PULL WHEEL, THE SUCCESSIVE PROJECTIONS OF THE FINGERS RAISING A STRAND CARRIED BY THE PERIPHERAL SURFACE, AND RELEASING THE STRAND FROM ITS FOLLOWING ADHEREING RELATION WITH SAID SURFACE, MEANS ROTATING THE PULL WHEEL AT A SPEED TO KINETICALLY DRIVE THE STRAND IN A TANGENTIAL LINE THEREFROM TOWARD A RECEIVING SURFACE, MOUNTING MEANS FOR THE ROTARY DEVICE, SAID MOUNTING MEANS BEING OSCILLATABLE TO MOVE THE ROTARY DEVICE BACK AND FORTH ALONG A LINEAR PATH TO EFFECT A CIRCUMFERENTIAL OSCILLATION OF THE PROJECTION OF THE FINGERS THROUGH THE SOLTS IN THE PERIPHERAL SURFACE OF THE PULL WHEEL AND A CORRESPONDING CIRCUMFERENTIAL OSCILLATION IN THE CIRCUMFERENTIAL POINT OF RELEASE OF THE STRAND, AND MEANS SO OSCILLATING THE MOUNTING MEANS. 